Liberia-June 18, 2024: Sister Aid Liberia, a non-governmental organization with funding from UN Women through Irish Aid is rolling out key activities under its project titled, Promoting Gender Transformative and Positive Masculinity through Training and Mentorship. The first phase of these trainings are carried out in Nimba, Gbarpolu and Bomi. The training beneficiaries consist of local government officials, women and male stakeholders. Under the Gender Transformative and Positive Masculinity training— the objective intends to enhance the understanding of what masculinity means, its construction and reinforcement, and connection with women’s underrepresentation in leadership and decision-making, Reflect on gender inequality and power imbalance through analyzing masculinity; Challenge harmful masculine norms, practices, and status quos as an attempt to foster critical reflection toward change; and Identify personal steps, commitment, and measures to promote gender equality and equal participation and representation in politics and peace-building.
Participants such as chief elders, community heads, paramount chief, Grand Zoe, and County Cultural Coordinators were seen actively engaged in the training sessions. In one of the trainings, Commissioner Christiana Contaye, Doe Administrative District, Nimba County entreated Sister Aid Liberia to roll out more of these capacity buildings to enhance their community-based leadership and behavioral change approach. “We need more of this transformative training from Sister Aid Liberia to ensure behavioral and leadership change” she narrates.
Additionally, as part of the rolled out trainings which were held simultaneously in Nimba, Bomi, and Garpolu, appointed women leaders, aspirants and past candidates were trained on Transformative Leadership, communication and Strategic Planning. The objective of this training is; to empower women comprising 100 appointed women leaders, and 75 emerging women leaders to lead with confidence and purpose, and to improve their verbal and nonverbal communication skills to effectively convey ideas and inspire others, especially emerging young women leaders to continue to take up leadership challenges, to enhance their public speaking abilities to articulate ideas with confidence, influence stakeholders, and engage diverse audiences. To equip them with strategic planning tools to set goals, and make informed decisions that will drive their leadership success.
Result-
After these trainings, women leaders, male stakeholders, community actors, past candidates and female aspirants commit to addressing wide scope of leadership crisis ranging from gender inequality in decision making processes. Participants were also equipped with in-demand skills on conflict resolution and peace mediation. Furthermore, beneficiaries of these trainings designed strategic action plan to engage with their communities through awareness and stakeholders dialogue.
Organization Detailed Backround-
Sister AID Liberia (SALI), a national Non-Governmental Organization. SALI is a
women-led NGO that fights inequality, poverty, and human rights abuses against women and girls. SALI promotes young women and girls’ rights in political participation and leadership; prevent all forms of violence against women and girls;
advocate for women-friendly policies and laws adoption and enactment, and further research and learning, and innovations. Our core programs are: Rights Advocacy and Empowerment; Leadership and Capacity Building; Climate, Justice and Women’s Land.
